Wax-thread sewing machine



W. C. MEYER.

- WAX THREAD SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION F|LED APmza, 1917.

409 1 9 3 V Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

' 4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

inf/m7 W. O, MEYER WAX THREAD SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR=28,'|917- 1 ,409,1 93. I Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

EN r M H J WW W.

n w M Q 7 W. C. MEYER.

WAX THREAD SEWING MACHINE.

. APPLECATION FlLED APRQZB, 15 7. 1,409,193.

\AN MR W. C. MEYER.

WAX THREAD SEWING MACHINE.

- APPLICATION FILED APR.28. 1917. 1 1 Patented M31. 14, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. MEYER, or BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 UNITEDSHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY .A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WAX-THREAD SEWING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

- Application filed April 28, 1917. Serial No. 165,107.

To (LIZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM C. MEYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly,in the county of Essex and State of illassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVaX-Thread'Sewing Machinesyand I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the. art. to which it appertains to make and use the'same.

This. invention relates to waxsthread sew ing machines, and more particularly to machinesior sewing inseains of shoes.

' The. invention is illustrated in this application as embodied :inamachine for sewing uppers .tobthe solesot turned shoes. The inventionis not limited,-however,.to this particular type-of machine, but may be embodied with advantage in machines for sewf ingwelts and uppersto the insoles of welted shoesq I The primary object of the invention is to improve the construction and mode of operation of various parts of inseamshoe sewing machines, with the view of increas ing the efliciency and reliability of such machines. v

'IVith this and other objects in view, the features otthe invention consist of the novel and improved constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter de-' scribed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be readily understood from the accompanying drawings illustrating a machine embodying the invention in its preferred form, and tlie following detailed description of the constructions therein shown. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating the head of a turned shoe sewing machine embodying the invention Fig.2 is an enlarged view in side elevation illustrating a portion oi the head oi the machine. with certain parts of the frame removed to show more clearly the structure ,7 V

Fig. 3 is a detail view in side elevation illustrating particularly the back gage and back rest mechanisms;

F ig. 4 is a view in horizontal section of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 3;

the machine Fig. is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. is a detailsectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 5;

.1 1g. 1 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5;

And Fig. 1s a detail view in side elevation illustrating particularly the back rest mechanism The machine illustrated in the drawings is constructed and arranged for sewing uppers to the soles of turned shoes. The machine comprises an oscillatingeurved hook needle 2 arranged to enter the between substance of the sole upon the outer or marginal side thereof, a feed point or awl 4, a looper 6, a thread arm 8, and a tension device 10, having substantially the same construction, arrangement and mode of operation as the corresponding parts of the machine illustrated and described in applicants pending application Serial No. 95,893, filed May 6, 1916. The channel guide 11 of illustrated diifers from the channel guide of the machiueillustrated in the above application in that it is provided with a lip or finger 12 extending rearwardly from the body of the channel guide and laterally in the direction of feed for engaging the upper side of the channel flap to prevent the channel flap from being raised by the pull exerted on the thread by the thread arm during the loop drawing stroke of the thread arm. The channel guide construction is illustrated and described in applicants pending application, Serial No. 69.880, filed January 3, 1916 upon which Patent No. 1259.765, dated Marchli). 1918, was granted. The arrangement and mode of operation of the channel guide are substantially the same as in the machine illustrated and described in application Serial No. 95,893 referred to above. The machine illustrated in the drawings is also provided with a take-up 13. a back gage 14 and a back rest 15.

The awl il of the machine is clamped to the awl carrier 16. which is pivotally mount cd upon a stud 18 projecting laterally from a block 20 secured to the lower end of the laterally movable teed member or lever 22 mounted on the stud 24. The awl carrier 16 is connected by a link 26 (Fig. 2) with one arm of a bell crank lever 28 pivoted in the drawingsupon the stud 30. The other arm of this .bell crank is connected by a link 32 wit-h the forward end of a cam actuated lever;

v the lower end of the feed member or lever 22.

Thefeed member or lever 22 has a reciprocating movement longitudinally of the stud 24 to carry the awl and channel guide back and forth in the direction of feed, and a' slight pivotal movement on the stud to engage the channel guide with and to disenv gage it from the bottom of the channel; The reciprocating movement of the feed member22 upon the stud is impartedby means The lever 89 hasasecondarm 48fcarrying a cam roll 50 engaging in a cam groove in a cam disk mounted on the main shaft 38. The heating devices for the-machine are arranged to heat the machine by steam and are so constructed as toheatthe'fraine at the point where the stud 24 is attached fltl'lQl'BtOQtO relativclyhigh temperature.

" willnot stick to' these parts and accumuon the feeding member 22.

the feeding member. from the block 76 to the feeding member .The heat transmitted: in this manner,- however, is'not SLlifiCleIll to heat the channel guide and awl to a high temperature, so that wax late thereon. As a further provision for heating the member 22, a block 7 6 is mounted upon the parallel pipe sections and 74, and is formed with a concavely curved con tact face 78 forengagement with a complemental contact face formed upon a block 82 secured upon the forwardly projecting arm The contact faces of the heating block 7 6 and the block 82'are curved in anarc struck from the axis of. the stud '24. With this construction a comparatively large area of contact is maintained between I the heating block 76. and block 82v during the reciprocating movement of the member 22on the stud 24, and during the pivotal movement of said member on the stud, the contact faces of the blocks sliding overeach other during these movements of The heat transmitted sion of the present application.

The take-up consists of a roll 103 mounted upon the forward end of an arm 104 carried by a lever 106 pivoted upon thestud 108. The lever 106 is actuated from a camlever 110 (Fig. 2) pivoted upon the stud 112, the arm 114 ofwhich has a block and slot connection with the rear end of the lever 106. The other arm 116 of the cam lever carries a cam roll 118 engaging in a cam groove in a cam diskmounted upon the main shaft 38. Thearm 104 is pivoted upon a stud 120 carried at theforward endof the lever 106, and is acted upon by a coiled .spring 124 which tends to swing the arm upwardly relatively to the lever. A-lo'cking arm 142 is provided for locking the arm 104 tothe lever 106. V

The locking arm 142'is adjustably mounted and is arranged so that when locatedin one position the arm 104 will be locked rigidly to the lever 106 andthat when located in another" position,-; the arm- 104 can swing relativelyjtothe lever 106 in opposition to the. tension. exerted bythe spring .124.;f:' This take-up mechanism is-"fully illustrated and I describedin. an application, Sen- Nor 252,970, filed Sept. 6, 1918,which constitutes a-division of the presentapplication; I

. The back gage isarranged 'n thelusual mannerv to engage the shoe closeto' the path of the needle'so as to form a support'for the shoe. The back gage has. substantially the same 'mode'. :of operation asthe welt guide of the machine disclosed in applicants pending applicati0n,1jSerial N0. 95,89311'6- ferredto above. .That'is, the back-gage is locked in forwardaposition against'forward r or rearwardv movement during the: greater part o'feachcycle of operat ons, including the time during which the needle is retracting from the work, is retracted out ofengagement with the shoeduring the feeding of the shoe, and is then moved; forward yieldingly into contact with the shoe. The back gage is locked against rearward movement so that it will firmly support the shoe.

particularly against. the backward pull of the needle as the'needle retracts fromthe work. The locking of the back gage against forward movement prevents the back gage from advancing and displacing the shoe as the channel guide is actuated "to disengage its acting end from the bottom of the channel. V

The "back gage. 14 is secured to the forward end of a lever 162 pivoted by means of a stud 164 to the forward end of the back gage slide or controller bar 166. The bar 166 is mounted for forward and rearward movement to carry theback gage into and out of engagement with the shoe, and the back gage is pivoted upon the stud 164 so that it can be oscillated to cause the back gage to move in a curved. path which is practically concentric with the path of the needle during its forward and rearward movements. This ensures that the back gage will always be located in the same position relative to the needle or to the path of'the needle regardless of the thickness of the work. The rear end of the lever 162 carries a cam roll 168 engagingin a cam groove 170 in a cam plate 172 secured to the frame of the machine. The shape of the cam groove 170 is such that as the back gage is moved forwardly and rearwardly it is oscillated on the stud 164 to cause it to move in a ath substantially concentric with the path 0 the needle. The forward end of the bar 166 is supported by a swinging arm 174 pivoted at its lower end upon a stud 176, the forked upper end of which embraces the bar 166 and carrier 162, and is pivotally connected to said bar and carrier by the stud 164. The rear end of the bar 166 asses through and 'is supported by a block 18 pivotally mounted upon the lower arm of the cam lever 180 pivoted upon the stud 182 As shown particularlyin F ig. 5;;the block 178 is formed with oppositely extending bearing-projections or trunnions 184 which engage in suitable be'aringslin' the lever 180. For convenience in assembling the lever and the block, ,the lever is formed in two parts, indicated at 186 and 188 in Fig. 5. The part 1880f the lever is formed with a boss 189 fitting inan openingin'. the part 186, and the parts are secured togetherby the bolt 190, and held from relative displacement by the pin-192. Tlie'bar 166 is advanced and retracted-"to move the back gage into and out ofengagement with the shoe, and is locked in advanced position against forward and rearwardmovement during each cycle of op" erations. T he'bar is freely movable through the block 178. The bar is advanced to bring the back gage into engagement with the shoe by means of a spring 194, the out-turned end of the arm 196 of which engages in a socket in the rear end of the bar. The relative movement of the bar and the block 178 is limited by means of a pin 198 threaded into the block and having its inner end projecting into a slot in the bar.

Th bar is locked in advanced position against retracting movement by means of a roll clutch comprising a clutch box 202 formed on a bracket 204 secured by a bolt 206 to the frame of the machine. In the clutch box 202 are mounted clutch rolls 208 arranged upon opposite sides of the bar 166 to engage flat faces formed upon the bar. The forward end of the block 178 is arranged to enter between the two sides of the clutch box 202, and isformed with inclined faces 210 for engagement with the clutch rolls 208 to force the rolls against the bar 166. The clutch rolls fit somewhat loosely in the clutch box. so that when the block 178 is disengaged from the rolls. the bar 166 will move freely between the rolls.

lVhen the block 17 8 is moved forwardly to bring the inclined faces 210 on the block into engagement with the clutch rolls 208, the rolls are forced against the bar 166 to clutch the bar and-lock it against rearward movement between the rolls. The mechanism for retracting the bar comprises a second roll clutch which is also utilized to lock the rod in advanced position against forward movement. This roll clutch comprises a clutch box 212 mounted to slide longitudinally upon the bar 166 and clutch rolls 214 mounted in the box upon opposite sides of the bar and arranged to engage flat surfaces formed on the bar. The rear end of the block 178 is arranged to enter between the spaced projections 216 upon the clutch box 212, and the block is formed with inclined faces 218 arranged to engage the clutch rolls 214 to'force the rolls against the "rod 166 to lock the rod from forward movement relative to the clutch box. The clutch box carries oppositely projecting pins 220 and 222, of which the pin 220 is connected with the pin 198 by means of a spring'224, and the pin 222 is connected by a spring 226 with a pin or bolt 228 secured in the cam lever 180,'as'shown in Fig. 5. The springs 224 and 226'tend to move the clutch box 212 forwardly relatively to the block 178, and thus to keep the inclined faces 218 of the block in engagement with the clutch rolls 214. The block 178 is moved forwardly and rearwardly to cause the roll clutches to clutch and release the bar 166, and to move the second roll clutchto retract the bar'by the movement of the cam lever 180. The cam lever carries a cam roll 229 at the end of its upper 'arm which engages in a cam groove in a cam\ disk attached to the main shaft 38 of the machine.

The parts are shown in the drawings in the I positions which they assume when the back gage is locked in its forward or work engaging position. It will be noted that the clutch rolls 208 are held against the rod 166 through the engagement of the inclined faces 210 on the block 178 with the rolls, thereby locking the rod against rearward movement, and that the clutch rolls 214 areheld against the rod through the engagement of the inclined faces 218 on the block with the rolls, thereby locking the rod against forward movement. As the lower arm of the cam lever swings rearwardly from the position shown in the drawings, carrying the block 178 rearwardly therewith, the inclined faces 210 of the block are disengaged from the clutch rolls 208, allowing these rolls to release the bar 166, while the clutch rolls 214 are held in engagement with the bar, and the clutch box 212 and the bar-166 are moved rearwardly with the block. The retracting movement of the bar carries'the back gage out of engagement with the shoe. As the lower arm of the cam lever 180. swings forwardly, the clutch box 212-is held back during the first part of the forward movement of said arm, thereby causing the inclined faces 218 on the block 17 8 to disengage the clutch rolls 214, so that the clutch rolls vare released from clutching engagement with the bar 166, allowing the bar toibe advanced to carry the back gage into engagement with the shoe by the action of the spring 194. Before the. lower arm of the cam leverv 180 has reached the limit of its forward movement, the clutch box 212 is released and allowed to be moved forward by the springs 224 and 226 until the clutch rolls 214are again engaged with the inclined faces 218 of the block 178. The mechanism for thus holding back and releasing the clutch box comprises a latch lever 230 pivoted, upon. a stud 232 secured in a bracket 234 attached to" the frame ofthe machine.

The latch lever 230 is provided withspaced I rm 2 6; mbr th ir a en f the vclutchbox 2'12, and each having a cat'ch'proj ection. 238T arranged; to engage in front of one of: theilateral projections 240' on the op? posite sides of .thedutch' box The latch l evii230 'is 'a.c tuated in adirection to carry 7 the catch projections :238 v [downwardly in front-of the lateral projections 240 on the clutch box b'yl'the action of'thespring 194,

the outturned endofthe arm 242 of which isseatedfin a sock'et in thelever, 230, some what belowthe axis of thellever, as shownin Fig. 3; QTo enable the lever 236 to beactu atedi inadirection to li ft the projections 238 from in front of the lateral projections 240 on the clutch box, andthusarelease the clutch box asthe lower arm [of the cam lever 180 swings forwardly,thelever230 is formed with an 'arm244 through the lower end of which passes'a rod 246,pivotally'connected at v248 to an extension on the cam lever. A

nut 250 isadjustably mounted upon the rod 246 to engage the rear side of the arm 244 of the lever 230, and actuate the latter lever to lift the projections 238 thereon from in front of the lateral projections 240 on the clutch box as the lower arm of the cam lever 180 swings forwardly. With this construe tion, as the lower arm of the cam lever 180 swings rearwardly, the longitudinal rearward movement of the'rod 246 allows the lever 280 to be actuated bythe spring 194 todepress the'arms 236 of the lever. After the lateral projections 240 on the clutch box have cleared the projections 238 on the arms 2360f the lever 230, the lever 230 is actuated by the spring 194 to carry the projections 238 in front ofthe projections 240. As the lower arm of the lever 180 swings forwardly, the clutch box isheld back by the engagement of the projections 240 thereonwith the projections 238 on the lever 230, and the block 17 8 moves forwardly independently of theclutch box, disengaging the inclined faces 218 of the block from the clutch rolls 214 The clutch rolls are thus released from clutching engagement with the bar 166, allowing the bar tobe advanced by the action of the spring l94. As the lower arm of the cam lever 180 continuesto swing forwardly, the nut 250- engages the arm 244 of the lever 230,v and actuates the latter lever to ,lift the 178. into engagement withthe clutch rolls 208. lVhenthe lower a-rm of the cam, lever reaches the limit of its; forward movement,

the bar 166 will therefore be: locked in position aga stiforivardfgandjrearward movements by the a tion of'the two roll clutches.

The' machine :providedwith the, usual back rest "arranged itof engage, the shoe below the back-gage reassi n in 'holjding the shoe in'positi'on during the sewing opera; tion. In the drawi igs theback rest. is indicated 252;, and isfjcarried-at thei forward end of aaslide 254 mounted toslide in suitable guidesin the] frame ,ofithe machine.

The; slide 254 .isl' yieldinglyl pressed forwardly lmeans ofga spring ;256 -coiled about a p ssess; formed on the frame .of tlie inachine, ,o'nesana ofwhichengages a fixed abutment, and i the other. arm (of which engages a pin 260. -'n 1ounted on the slide 254.

Thelforward movement of'the slidef254 un derthe influence of the" spring 256'is limited by means of stop lug or projection 262 formed on theframe of the machine, o and extending into a, slot 264 in the slide 254, the forward movement of the slide being limited by the engagement of the lug with the rear end ofthe slot. During the greater part of each cycle of operations of the machine, and preferably at all times except during the feedingmovement of the shoe, the back rest is locked against forward movement, and is held against rearward movement,-by the action of the spring 256. lVhile the shoe. is being fed the back rest is unlocked so thatit can accommodate itself to the shoe. The locking of the back gage against forward movement during the actuation'of the channel guide to disengage its acting end fromthe bottom of the channel prevents the backrest from then moving forward and displacing the shoe. The mechanism for locking the back rest comprises a clutch roll 266 mounted between the upper face of: the slide 254 and the inclined face 268 of a plate 270 secured to the frame above theslide. The parts are arranged so that as the clutch roll 266 is forced forward between the plate 270 and the slide 254, it

will wedge between the upper face of the slide and the inclined face 268 of the plate, and lock the slide from forward movement. The clutch roll is engaged by the head of a plunger 272 mounted in a suitable guide in the plate 270, and acted upon by a coiled spring 274 surrounding the body of the plunger and interposed between the head thereof and the plate 270. By the action of the plunger 272 the roll 266 is normally forced forwardly into clutching position between the upper face of the slide 254 and the inclined face 268 of the plate 270, to lock the slide against forward movement.

1 In order to unlock the slide 254, so, that the back rest can. accommodate itself to the shoe,

an unlocking arm 276 is secured by the screw 228 to the cam lever 180, and projects laterally therefrom through an opening in the frame into a position in front of the roll 266,- as shown. in Figs. 5, 6 and 8. As the lower arm of the cam lever, 180 swings rearwardly'to retract the bar 166, the arm 276 engages the roll 266 and moves the same rearwardly against the tension of the spring 274 out of clutching position. The slide 254 is then free to move forwardly under the action of the spring 256, or can be moved rearwardly against the tension of the spring. As the lower arm of the cam lever 180-swings forwardly, the arm 276 moves out of engagement with the roll 266, and the roll is again moved forward by the action of the spring 274 on the plunger 272 into clutching position to lock the slide254 from forward movement.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention, and having specifically described a machine embodying the features of the invention in their preferred forms, what isclaimed is 1. An inseam shoe sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a curved hook needle, a back gage, an endwise movable back gage controller bar, clutch for'locking the bar against rearward movement, a second clutch for locking the bar against forward movement and for retracting the bar, and means for "engaging the clutches to lock the bar and for actuating the latter clutch to retract the bar.

2. An inseam shoe sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a curved hook needle, a back gage, an endwise movable back gage controller bar, abodily movable clutch for retracting the bar and for locking the bar,'means for engaging the clutch and retracting the same to retract the bar, for releasing the clutch to permit the bar toadvance to carry the back gage into engagement with the shoe, and for re-engaging the clutch tolock the bar when the back gage has engaged the shoe.

3. An inseam shoe sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a curved hook needle, a back gage, an endwise movable back gage controller bar, a clutch for locking the bar against rearward movement, a clutch for locking the bar against forward movement and forretracting the bar mounted on the bar, a clutch actuator mounted on the bar intermediate the clutches, means for moving the actuator to engage and release the first clutch to lock and unlock the bar, to move the second clutch to retract the bar, and to disengage said second clutch to release the bar, and means for relatively moving the actuator and the second clutch to engage said clutch to lock the 'bar.

I 4. An inseam shoe sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a curved hook needle, :1. back gage, an endwise movable back gage controller bar, a clutch for locking the bar against rearward movement, a second clutch mounted on the bar for locking the bar against forward movement and for retractin the bar, a clutch actuator mounted on the iar intermediate the clutches, means for moving the clutch actuator in one direction to disengage the first clutch and to move the second clutch to retract the bar and in the opposite direction, to disengage the second clutch soas to permit the advance of the bar, and to engage the first clutch to lock the bar against rearward movement, and means for moving the second clutch to engage the same and thereby lock the bar against forward movement. 7

5. An inseam shoe sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a curved hook needle, a back gage, an endwise movable back gage controllerbar, a clutch for locking the bar against rearward movement, a second clutch for locking the bar against forward movement and for retracting the bar, means for engaging the latter clutch and retracting the same to retract the bar, for releasing the same to permit the bar to advance to carry the back gage into engagement with the shoe, and for engaging both clutches to lock tllie bar when the back gage has engaged the s oe.

6. An inseam shoe sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a curved hook needle, a back gage, an endwise movable back gage controller bar, a bodily movable clutch, and means for actuating the clutch to retract the bar and to lock the bar in forward position against forward movement.

7. An inseam shoe sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a curved hook needle, a back gage,

an endwise movable back gage controller bar, aclutch for locking the bar against rearward movement, a clutch for locking the bar against forward movement and for retracting the bar, a common clutch actuator the bar." V 7 S. An inseam shoe sewing machine, havin combination, stitch forming devices including a curved hook needle, a back a back rest, a one-direction roll clutch for locking the back rest agamst forward movement, a spring tending to move the back rest forwardlyf and means for relatively actuating the parts of the clutch to unlock the back rest during'each cycle of operations. 9. An inseam shoe sewing machine having, in. combination, stitch forming devices including a curved hook 'needle,'a back gage, an endwise movable back gage controller bar, a clutch for locking the bar against forward movement and for retracting the bar comprising a clutch box mounted on the bar and clutch rolls mounted in the box, a clutch actuator, means for moving the clutch actuator rearwardly to cause the clutch rolls to grip the bar and then to move the clutch to retract the bar and for then moving the actuator forwardly, means for holding the clutch box in retracted position during the first partof the forward movement of the actuator to cause-the clutch rolls to release the bar, a spring for advancingfthe bar upon its release by the clutch rolls, means for actuating said holding means to release the box, and a spring for advancing'the box to reengage the clutch rolls with the actuator and cause the rolls to grip the bar.

10. An inseam shoe sewing machine l1&V

tract the bar and tor-'then'moving the actu ator forwardly, ailatch for holding the clutch box in retracted position during the first part of. the forward movement of the actuator to cause the clutch rolls to release thebar, a spring for advancin the bar upon its release by the clutch rol s, means for throwing out the latch, and a spring for.

advancing the clutch box to reengage the clutch rolls with the actuator and cause the rolls to grip the bar.

' wiLL A c. MEYER. 

